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Rare Ancient Etched Carnelian Beads

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 800.00 USD
Rare Ancient Etched Carnelian Beads
This is a collection of eleven ancient etched Carnelian beads. Etched carnelian beads are a type of ancient decorative beads made from carnelian with an etched design in white, which were probably manufactured by the Indus Valley civilization during the 3rd millennium BCE. They were made according to a technique of alkaline-etching developed by the Harappans, and vast quantities of these beads were found in the archaeological sites of the Indus Valley civilization. They are considered as an important marker of ancient trade between the Indus Valley, Mesopotamia and even Ancient Egypt, as these precious and unique manufactured items circulated in great numbers between these geographical areas during the 3rd millennium BCE and have been found in numerous tomb deposits. All of these beads are a pink/orange, except one that is almost black. Five of these beads are tube shaped, measuring from 1 1/5" to 5/8" long and 3/8" to 1/4" wide. The next two beads are button shaped round. One is 5/8" across and the other is 1/2" across. The next two beads are squarish shaped 3/8" X 3/8". The last bead is a round "black" bead measuring 1/4" X 1/4". All of these beads have unique white etching. These beads are in good condition for their age. The collection comes with the collector’s tag, showing the value of this collection at $530.00.